Bluetooth Hops Onto 802.11

Marketnews: Bluetooth Makes Leaps with Help of 802.11

I don't have a whole lot to add other than to say that this is a good move. If only other mobile device makers (I'm looking at you, Apple and your non-3G iPhone) were this forward thinking.

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Bluetooth users beware!

Symantec released a warning yesterday about possible hacks that can be made against Bluetooth enabled devices.

NYT: Symantec warns users over Bluetooth security

With Bluetooth wireless features fast becoming commonplace on mobile devices, users need to be aware of the security vulnerabilities linked to the technology, said a Symantec executive.
A study by research firm InsightExpress revealed that 73 percent of mobile device users are not acquainted with security issues that could put at risk mobile devicessuch as cell phones and Bluetooth-equipped notebooks. To these users, terms such as "bluejacking," "bluesnarfing" or even "bluebugging" would probably be unfamiliar.
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Ooi highlighted four tips on how mobile users can protect their Bluetooth-enabled devices:
Stay offline. Turn off features that you are not using. If you have a Bluetooth-equipped device and do not need the function, then don't turn it on.
Stay invisible. If you are using the Bluetooth function and don't require your device ID to be visible to others, make sure the device's visibility setting is set to "hidden," so hackers will not be able to scan and search for it.
Verify incoming transmissions. Do not accept and run attachments from unknown sources unless you are expecting them. For example, if you receive a message to install an application and you don't know its origin, don't run it.
Use passwords. Ideally, use passwords with a large number of digits. A four-digit PIN or password can be broken in less than a second, and a six-digit PIN in about 10 seconds, while a 10-digit PIN is likely to take weeks to crack.

I would suggest a fifth security measure: don't be one of those jackasses that wanders around with a Bluetooth headset permanently grafted to your ear.

I've expressed my low opinion of Bluetooth-dependant people before, a position which is shared by such eminent thinkers as Long or Short Capital.

Do yourself a favor, ignore your phone for fifteen minutes. If it's really important, they'll leave you a message!

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